Latest news from the automotive industry

Shifting Gears
Well known for building exotic sports cars, Automobili Lamborghini is shifting gears to help with the growing need for medical supplies due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Italian automaker has converted sections of its plant in Sant’Agata Bolognese, Italy — typically used to build its super sports cars — to produce surgical masks and protective plexiglass shields.

Making a Contribution
“During this emergency, we feel the need to make a concrete contribution,” said Chairman and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini Stefano Domenicali. “The S. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital is an institution with which we have had a collaborative relationship for years, through both professional consultancy in promoting programs to protect our workers’ health, and in research projects. We will win this battle together by working in union, supporting those who are at the forefront of fighting this pandemic every day,” Domenicali noted.

Building Masks and Shields
Personnel who are usually producing interiors and specialty customization for Lamborghini cars are now producing 1,000 masks per day. The company also plans to produce up to 200 medical shields per day utilizing 3D printers from Lamborghini’s carbon fiber production plant. The masks and shields will be donated to the Sant’Orsola-Malpighi Hospital in Bologna to be used in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Working with University of Bologna
This work has been approved and is fully supported by the Emilia-Romagna region and is being done in collaboration with the University of Bologna. The university’s Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences will oversee validation testing of the devices made by Lamborghini, prior to their delivery to the hospital.

Factory Closed
Earlier this month Lamborghini had closed the factory in Sant’Agata Bolognese due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “This measure is an act of social responsibility and high sensibility towards our people, in the extraordinary situation in which we find ourselves right now in Italy and which is also evolving abroad due to the worldwide spread of Coronavirus,” Domenicali reflected. The factory would typically be building vehicles such as the high-performance Urus SUV.

Supporting Italy
As a further sign of support for Italy during this pandemic, Lamborghini lights up the facade of its headquarters every evening with the colors of the Italian flag.